Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has offered his support to Matteo Berrettini after admitting to enduring mental health struggles in Italian media.
Nick Kyrgios often strikes a marginalised figure in the world of tennis; for a sport that’s so steeped in rules and tradition, Kyrgios represents an elite star refusing to conform. It’s why fans are perhaps less than supportive when it comes to the Australian star.
This year, Kyrgios ruled himself out of Wimbledon after he struggled to recover from a wrist injury – he was told: “Don’t come back.” by British tennis commentators. This comes after Kyrgios endorsed a Saudi-led investment into the ATP circuit, saying that tennis players deserve to get paid better – something he was widely criticised for.
Following a quote Italian tennis star Matteo Berrettini gave to Italian media, published to X – formerly known as Twitter – Nick Kyrgios threw his support behind his struggling colleague who admitted to feeling as though the “darkness seems to have no end, it swallows you.”
Last year, Berrettini ranked as high as no. 6 in the world, following a successful ATP season in which he reached the Wimbledon Final 2021 and the semi-finals of the Australian Open and the US Open. But long-term injuries and illness have kept the Italian tennis ace out of competitive matches throughout 2022, having an adverse effect on his mental health.
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Kygrios, who would have undoubtedly noticed parallels amid his own mental health struggle, offered his public support, should the Italian world no.40 need anything, and fans were quick to back Kyrgios following his tweet in support of Berrettini, saying it speaks to his character.
Nick Kyrgios has been open about his own battle with mental health issues in the past, struggling with the immense pressure of professional sport and the close – often critical – scrutiny within the public eye. Kyrgios even admitted to Netflix’s Break Point, he was contemplating suicide at his lowest point, following his 2019 defeat to Rafael Nadal.